If it seems like this dish is on every menu in Los Angeles, it’s because it is! It competes with the avocado toast as LA’s signature dish. This stuffed zucchini blossoms recipe is as easy as 1-2-3. But to make sure it’s perfect, we have a recipe inspired by how the dish is served at the Four Seasons Los Angeles.
Tops in Italian Cuisine
The Four Seasons Los Angeles’ Italian restaurant Culina has maybe the best Italian food in the city. We can take hotel food for granted at times, but whether or not you stay there, Culina is a destination restaurant. The room is elegant, with cozy bar seating and a garden-inspired interior. The star is the garden itself, where you can spend hours noshing on bites with friends.
The dishes are made to share, especially if you want to order the truffle pasta, or a pizza made in the wood-burning oven. The Culina team makes one of the best fiori di zucca fritti, zucchini flowers which are stuffed with fresh ricotta, pecorino, oregano, and garnished with a basil cream. It’s a decadent version, with crisp breading that’s deep-fried to perfection. Not great for the waistline perhaps, but this fried zucchini blossoms recipe is worth the indulgence.
Serves 4
Ingredients
16 – 20 squash blossoms
4 cups of fresh ricotta
3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese
1 bunch of fresh oregano
2 eggs
1 cup of flour
3 ounces of beer
2 tablespoons of milk (whole is best, oat works as well)
Maldon sea salt
Sunflower seed oil
For the Basil Cream:
1 bunch of basil
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces of crème fraîche
Maldon salt to taste
To Garnish:
Hot pepper olive oil
Edible flowers
Directions
Some people insist on cleaning out the inside of the zucchini blossom. But I actually like the pistil, and it doesn’t really make a big difference either way. You do want to make sure that there aren’t any little critters inside; zucchini blossoms tend to attract them. We’re all for extra protein, but a buffet of bugs is a hard pass for us! So make sure the inside is clean.
In a bowl, combine your ricotta, Pecorino cheese, finely chopped oregano, and sea salt and pepper to taste. If you want to add a little spice, red pepper flakes also go well with this recipe. Gently stuff the squash blossoms and set aside.
Make the Basil Cream
Wash the basil well, and set out to dry. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and blanche the basil, about 10–15 seconds. Drain well and squeeze the excess water out. In your blender, add the crème fraîche, olive oil and basil, and purée well. Set aside and chill until your blossoms are ready to garnish.
Batter Up
Now it’s time to make the batter. Until I had the Four Seasons version of this stuffed zucchini blossoms recipe, I always went light on the batter. My recipe was more of a light egg wash and flour dusting. But the Four Seasons fiori fritti was so good, it’s my go-to dish when I want to eat something lightly fried.
In a bowl, beat your eggs and add the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk, then add the beer, about one ounce at a time. The batter should be thick, but thin enough that it can still coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the Maldon salt and pepper to taste.
Set up the Assembly Line
Heat the oil to about 350 degrees in a Dutch oven or other enamel-based pan. The oil should be at least 3 inches deep. Make sure to break out your thermometer; if your oil is at the right temp, it will be a quick process.
Set the stuffed zucchini blossoms on the counter near the stove, and place the batter closest to the frying pan. When you oil is ready, you’ll need to quickly dip the blossoms in the batter. Make sure the blossoms are coated well and immediately drop them into the oil. Depending on how big your pot is, you’ll cook the blossoms in batches of 4–6. With tongs, gently turn the blossoms as they turn golden grown.
Place the fried blossoms on a paper towel to drain the excess oil and stage them in a warm oven. Continue until all the blossoms are golden and fried.
Presentation Time
Set out four plates for each individual guest. Transfer your basil cream into a squeeze bottle, and create 3–4 circles, increasing the size as you get closer to the edge of the plate. Gently place 4 zucchini blossoms in the center of each plate. Garnish with an edible flower, a few drops of the hot pepper oil, and a dash of Maldon sea salt. Serve immediately. Clean plates guaranteed!
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